The University of Vermont (UVM), one of the nation’s premier small public research universities, seeks an accomplished and inspiring academic leader to serve as Dean of its College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a vital academic unit that engages interdisciplinary programs and innovative research to address emerging needs of society through research in agriculture and the broad range of life sciences. The College seeks a dynamic, creative, visionary Dean who can lead CALS into a collaborative and impactful future.

The UVM campus spans Burlington’s highest ridgeline overlooking Lake Champlain, between the Adirondack and Green Mountains, and is surrounded by the small, vibrant, and historic city of Burlington, perennially voted one of America's best places to live. The University, home to seven schools and colleges, an honors college, graduate college, medical school, and a division of continuing and distance education, all on the same campus, enrolls close to 13,000 students. The University has steadily built its research enterprise with $144M of sponsored projects in fiscal year 2019.

Enhanced by an array of physical resources that include research stations, farms, and horticultural facilities, CALS plays an integral role in UVM’s research and outreach missions. It also supports a wide range of interdisciplinary initiatives across the University, including the Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative, the Gund Institute for Environment, and graduate programs in food systems and ecological economics. Additionally, as home to the Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station and UVM Extension, CALS helps communities across the state find innovative solutions to the challenges they face. In each of these dimensions, the work of the College takes full advantage of Vermont’s unique position as a living laboratory for agriculture and the life sciences.

CALS offers dynamic programs in agriculture and the life and social sciences, with a focus on nutrition and food science, human and animal health and well-being, communication, entrepreneurship, sustainable and resilient communities, and the complex web of food systems. Enrolling over 1,400 undergraduate students and 120 graduate students, and supported by 70 faculty, CALS programs address current issues that are key to the future of Vermont, the nation, and the world. In 2019, CALS faculty brought in $23M in sponsored research funding and recently the College was designated a USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Center.

Structured around six departments: Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Community Development and Applied Economics, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Plant & Soil Science, Plant Biology, and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (shared with the LCOM), CALS also includes four undergraduate interdisciplinary programs shared with other colleges. The College’s diverse majors (17), and wide-ranging minors (18) and concentrations (18), appeal to a broad audience of students interested in agriculture, basic science, applied science, or linking applied work to the social sciences. CALS offers four doctoral programs and eight master’s programs, including professional programs in Dietetics and Public Administration, in addition to cross-college interdisciplinary master’s and doctoral programs in Food Systems.

The successful candidate will develop a vision for the College and its role in supporting research, teaching, and outreach activities, and will construct a clear narrative about its evolving identity. The new Dean will also champion interdisciplinary activity and the development of innovative, high impact academic programs. They will serve as the face of the institution across the state and will engage supporters to fund new initiatives and ongoing activities. The next Dean will also continue to build a diverse community working to recruit and retain outstanding students and high-performing faculty from all backgrounds.

The ideal candidate will bring intellectual breadth, strong emotional intelligence, and a record of academic achievement at a research university, combined with success in administrative management, including strategic planning and fiscal oversight. Candidates will also bring the capacity to build consensus and focus the collective energy of the College community. Academic credentials in a relevant discipline and an outstanding record of teaching and scholarship to qualify for full professor with tenure at UVM are required.

UVM is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through their research, teaching, and/or service. Applicants are requested to include in their cover letter information abouttheir track record in this area and how they will further this goal at the University of Vermont.

Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, has been retained to assist UVM in this important search. Please direct all inquiries (including requests for a detailed position profile), nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters in confidence to:

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law. The University encourages applications from all individuals who will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution.